What blood is—and why it matters

Every patient is different. Each disease calls for a unique treatment regimen. And the blood component needed to save or sustain the life of a patient with a specific condition also differs from all others. While patients undergoing treatment for leukemia require platelets to promote clotting, severe burn victims need plasma, and red blood cells can often mean the difference between life and death for premature babies.

Produced in the bone marrow, blood is typically collected in what is called "whole blood" and then separated into its three unique components, each delivering a life-saving benefit to someone in need: